The stylistic approach of aughts-era children’s television animators has been inspiring the Gen Z pop and rap artists that grew up with their work. One way I could describe this new wave of artists: post-Cartoon Network. The collective Le Citadell and anybody on the friends& Laptop Twee playlist come to mind. Massi, a relatively anonymous folktronica musician, juts out of this scene like a beacon of wonder. Their music is exploratory and childlike and always accompanied by dextrous stop-motion visuals unlike anything else on the internet. Out of all the indietronica revivalists, Massi’s music is the only one that demands a cartoon of its own. Read our email chain with them below.

Twee is making a comeback. Would you describe your music as twee?

Sort of, I never heard of twee until two months ago, but I do feel like that would be the closest description of my music.

I definitely hear some recession-era indietronica classics in your work. Múm maybe, The Books for sure. Is that an era that inspires you, and if so which artists?

That genre of music I wouldn’t say is a big inspiration to me. Personally I think the Botanicula soundtrack had a big influence on me. Especially the song “Juchu.” And the Marcel the Shell books. Lots of times, it's just pictures or things that inspire me more than music. Like, I just got a new jacket and I might make a song about that. I think my approach to music is finding an object or picture and trying to extract as many sounds as I can from that one picture or object. If that makes sense.

Oldest stuffed animal you own?

It’s not really mine anymore or a stuffed "animal," but it’s a sock puppet that I gave to my brother. But I've had it since I was like 7 or 8.

What’s your history with animation?

Before I even started making music I wanted to be an animator, when I was like 10. But I never did any animation or drew much. Then I started making music, and put all my focus into that. But I kept telling people I wanted to be an animator until I was like 17. More recently, like last year, I started doing animation because I was making music videos.

Does the music always come before the visual? Or are they more of a cohesive vision?

Music is always first, or sometimes the song title, but always music first for sure. I always have to like the song first before I can think of visuals.

You also produce some rap songs for your friends. How do you approach producing your own music versus other people’s? 

I think the difference between the two is just the time and thought I put into each. When I'm making a song I want to create something I feel which is completely new to me. New ideas, new themes, new sounds. Spending lots of time filling in the song with melodies. Overall just making the track feel alive. When I'm making beats it's more like making a quick sketch, I'm just making small ideas with each one. To me I don't make beats in mind with someone using them, I just do what is fun. 

What would a full Massi album sound like? 

It would sound alive, like its own little world.